


Did you turn off the stove top?

by rosesinmadrid



Category: Football RPF
Genre: 30 Day OTP Challenge, Domestic Fluff, Drabble, Fluff, M/M, Non-Linear Narrative
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-07-05 15:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 6,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15866424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesinmadrid/pseuds/rosesinmadrid
Summary: Small glimpses into Sergio’s and Fernando’s way around each other.





	1. Waking up together

Sergio’s arm is curled around Fernando, their legs are more than tangled, and Sergio’s breath slowly tickles Fernando awake, the soft snores like feathers across the back of his neck. His eyes are still closed when the silliest of smiles erupts over his face as he tries to hold back laughter. Well awake, but not yet ready to admit to it, he reaches for Sergio’s hand buried under the blankets and hiding beneath his shirt, bringing it to his chest like a child would a teddy bear, and tucking it under his chin. Sergio begins to stir and Fernando feels a kiss in the crook of his neck. 

He sighs into Sergio’s fingers, only the fewest remnants of sleep left in his voice, “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” Sergio presses a wide smile into Fernando’s shoulder, chasing it with another kiss soon after, “I could get used to this.”


	2. Morning Routine

Sergio mumbles against Fernando’s neck and his arm tightens around his waist in protest, “No, stay in bed with me.”

Fernando is about to unwrap Sergio’s arm when he feels warm kisses outline the top of his shoulder and trail down the back of his arm, increasingly sloppier the further they reach. 

“Please,” he hears Sergio whisper right under his ear. “Just five more minutes.”

Fernando finally lets out the little laugh he’s been holding in since he woke up. Turning on his back, he watches Sergio’s face brighten and in an instant his head is resting across Fernando’s chest. Five minutes turn into ten as he sifts through Sergio’s hair, admiring the different shades and how the the light reflects across them. 

When he finally goes to move again, Sergio is quick to detest, swiftly throwing a leg over Fernando’s hips, “Not yet.”

“But I’m getting hungry,” he pouts, matching Sergio’s tone. 

Like a switch, Sergio is up and out of bed, nearly taking the sheets with him, “What do you want for breakfast? I’ll make anything you want.”

“You,” Fernando points in Sergio’s general direction. “Are going to make breakfast?”

Sergio crosses his arms, “I can handle breakfast.”

“Can you?” Fernando can’t help but grin from ear to ear, “Are you sure?”

“No, but you’ll be supervising, so there’s hope.”

***

Fernando makes the coffee without Sergio noticing, too distracted trying not to burn the eggs. He tentatively puts some bread in the toaster as he watches Sergio place bacon in the pan and when he hears just a little too much sizzling followed by some bitten back curses, he decides to throw some fruit in the blender as well.

When Sergio turns around to reach for a plate and spots more than he set up on the counter, he looks to Fernando.

“I didn’t make anything,” Fernando winks at him from behind a sip of coffee, “Just supervising.”

“Yeah, I bet that coffee is great,” Sergio gestures with his head. 

Fernando shrugs, a laugh escaping his mouth, “It’s not horrible.”

Sergio hums, dramatically pressing the toaster down and putting the fruit blending. 

When Sergio turns around for the second time, his shoulders are drawn up, pan in one hand and spatula in the other, “You like your bacon crispy right?”

Fernando puts down his empty mug, “Pile it on here.”


	3. Doing Laundry

Fernando is leaning against the doorframe, the sight in front of him somewhere between adorable and hysterical. Which ever it’s more, he doesn’t care, logging it away, making sure it finds a place in his long term memory. 

“Would you like some help with that?” He interrupts Sergio’s fight with a fitted sheet. 

Sergio stares back for a moment before nodding his head gently, “Please.”

Fernando doesn’t miss Sergio’s face softly rose over before beginning to explain how to tuck and fold. But even with Fernando’s help, Sergio is still struggling, his side of the sheet just as much of a mess as it was before. 

“Here,” Fernando can only chuckle at Sergio’s exasperated expression. 

“I just wanted to help, now I just feel useless.”

Fernando is almost finished folding the sheet when he catches a look on Sergio’s face he doesn’t like. He quickly unravels the sheet, wrapping it around the both of them and throwing it over their heads, his hands tight around Sergio’s hips and a laugh already shaking the defeated look Fernando didn’t like off of Sergio’s face, “You do help. You help a lot.”


	4. Night In

After a hard training session and a long press day with the team, Fernando wants nothing more than to get back to the quiet confines of his hotel room and sleep his sore muscles and buzzing headache away. Barely setting down his keycard, he’s already kicking off his shoes. 

When he notices the low hum of the TV and realizes Sergio is on one of the beds flipping through the channels, he already has his shirt off and stops short of taking off his pants, “I thought you were going out with the team?”

Sergio tries not to stare at Fernando’s hands on the knot of his drawstring, throwing him the quickest glance he can manage before shrugging, “Didn’t really feel like it.”

Fernando goes into the bathroom to step out of his pants, “It’s your last chance before the tournament starts, you know?”

When he comes out of the bathroom, Sergio is already sitting up on the edge of the bed, the TV muted and his bottom lip between his teeth, “Do you want me to leave?”

“I didn’t say that,” Fernando watches Sergio’s shoulders relax but can still see the effort it’s taking him to stop chewing his lip. 

“I’d rather just stay in, clear my head before everything starts up,” Sergio face breaks out into a smile and Fernando remembers how much he misses that bright expression. “Thought we could catch up.”

Fernando smiles back, not the slightest bit tired anymore, “For sure.”


	5. Nighttime Routine

He thought he’d get over it, that it’d lose it’s quality of endearment and stop grabbing his attention. He thinks after years of sharing hotel rooms and sneaking around, it’d be something of the background. He’s proven wrong every night as he watches Fernando’s hair fall where it wants, his mouth curling into a smile and a compliment softly slipping out. 

“I like your hair like that,”

And Fernando will laugh at every variation of the compliment, admittedly not believing him, quickly brushing it off, something too mundane to make matters about. 

“You mean washed?” 

And Sergio rolls his eyes, wants to make sure Fernando knows what he means and that he doesn’t mean it lightly. 

“Without product. Just natural.”

 

He thought he’d get over it, that it’d lose it’s novelty and stop demanding his attention. He thinks after years of sharing hotel rooms and sneaking around, it’d be something of the background. He’s proven wrong every night as he slips into bed and his eyes travel the length of Sergio’s body, a small groan escaping his mouth. 

“I like you like this.”

And Sergio laughs at every variation of the compliment, admittedly not believing him, quickly making a joke of it. 

“You mean mostly naked and in bed?”

And Fernando rolls his eyes, wants to make sure Sergio knows what he means and he doesn’t mean it lightly. 

“Without your guard up. Relaxed.”


	6. Shopping For Needs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very loose, barely there interpretation of this prompt.

Sergio comes up with the idea that he’ll surprise Fernando with some company. A drive across town and he meets him at his front door before he can even knock, almost bumping heads as Fernando steps over the threshold. 

“I should’ve called,” Sergio tries not to curse, already feeling his ears burn. “I’ll come back later. If you’re home. I mean, if you want, if you’re free.”

Fernando fumbles with his keys a lot longer than needed as he locks the door trying to stifle a laugh, not wanting to face Sergio with an amused grin at his cost. When he finally does, Sergio flustered and scrambling for words, Fernando finds himself smiling wide and without hesitation, a lovesick expression animating his features. 

“Don’t worry about it,” he turns towards his driveway. “I was about to run some errands. Need to pick up some groceries, come with me.”

Fernando only realizes he’s left Sergio on his front step when he’s about to jump into his car. He watches for a moment, admiring, imagines what it’d be like to have Sergio in his life more permanently, his house setting the perfect backdrop behind him, “You coming?”

“I-,” Sergio looks at his feet for a moment, burying one hand deep in his pocket, the other reaching for the back of his neck. “I don’t want to bother you.”

“You’re not, I like your company,” Fernando pats the top of his car. “Get in.”


	7. Exercise

Fernando can see Sergio come around the counter as he fills his water bottle. With in seconds, arms are loosely around him, trapping him against the sink for the time being. 

“Why don’t you let me workout with you?” Sergio says under Fernando’s ear. “Hmm?”

Fernando shuts the faucet, taking a long drink before replying, know the more he makes Sergio wait, the more fidgety he becomes. 

“I did once, and I almost dropped a weight on my foot, remember?”

“That wasn’t my fault,” Sergio’s hands find Fernando’s waist, seeking a distraction as he tries not to grin at the memory. “You were just lifting too heavy.”

Sergio’s knows full well if looks could kill he’d drop to the floor, but can’t help bark with laughter when Fernando turns around to glare at him. 

“It was definitely your fault.”

“Okay, but you didn’t even drop the weight,” Sergio avoids Fernando’s gaze. His hands find their place on Fernando’s hips again, the tips of his fingers dipping just below his waist band. “I may have just made it a little hard.”

“A little hard,” Fernando snorts, his face unimpressed before walking out of Sergio’s grasp. 

“I’d say you still got a workout in that day.” 

“Shut up,” Fernando rolls his eyes. “I could ask you the same thing, why don’t you ever let me go on runs with you?”

Sergio’s smug grin drops, “Sometimes you’re faster than me, and I don’t like that.”


	8. Wearing Each Others Clothes

Sergio has been nagging and whining at Fernando for what feels like an eternity, “Just try them on, please.”

Fernando only shakes his head. 

Sergio waits a moment before starting again, tugging at the waist of the pants and putting them up to Fernando’s hips, “They’d fit! Why won’t you try them on?”

Fernando plops on the edge of the bed, “They’re not really my style.”

“They’re black and white! Those are the only colours you wear, they’re perfect! I’m actually cutting you some slack here.”

Fernando has to lay back and cover his face with his hands as not to laugh. 

“I just want to see how they’d look on you, I’m not asking you to go out in them, why are you being so stubborn.”

Fernando can think of a few witty and snarky remarks. He bargains instead, “I’d rather try on the new Real jersey.”

Fernando gets a face full of checkered pants, and before he can laugh at the frantic rummaging in their closet, Sergio’s back holding a crisp new kit. He eyes it, trying to manage his disdain. 

“Do you need help getting it on?”

Sergio earns himself a sour look. 

“It’s white,” he offers. 

Fernando narrows his eyes at the emblem, “It is.”

“You wear a lot of white.”

Fernando doesn’t have to look up to know that Sergio is already starting to gloat, “I do.”

“We made a deal, it’s the pants or the jersey.”


	9. Nursing the Sick One

This is already the third time Fernando has caught Sergio up. The first time, he goes to check on him and catches him wandering the hallway. 

“I’m not even sick.” 

“Yes you are, would you go back to bed.”

Sergio sniffles, “It’s just allergies.”

“You’re sick,” Fernando grabs Sergio by the shoulders, pushing him back into their room, and tucks him in under the blankets again. “With the flu.”

The second time, Fernando startles. Sergio stands silently in the middle of the living room, the collar of his t-shirt twisted and crooked, their comforter loosely wrapped around him. 

“Jesus, Sergio,” Fernando honestly wonders how he didn’t hear him come down. “If you don’t want to stay in bed, would you at least lay on the couch.”

“I’m not sick,” Sergio coughs. “I just have a stuffy nose.”

“What ever you say, I’m going to make you some tea,” Fernando wraps the comforter more securely around him. “The stuffy nose started two days ago.”

Now, Fernando turns around to Sergio idling around the kitchen island. His hair is a mess, and his skin is pale, and Fernando doesn’t check twice but he’s certain Sergio is only wearing one slipper. He can see Sergio’s eyes surf the counter tops, before he can get any ideas, Fernando pulls Sergio into his personal space. 

“Can I get you something?”

“I was wondering if the tea was almost ready?”

“Mhm, few more minutes,” Fernando looks surprised for a moment, but his hands soon run up and down Sergio’s sides, comforting. He plants a small kiss on Sergio’s temple, “I’ll bring it to you.”


	10. Hair

Sergio’s brushing his teeth as he notices Fernando fidgeting with his hair more than usual. 

“Thinking of doing something different?”

Instantly, “Do you want me to?”

“Not really.”

Fernando watches Sergio spit into the sink, wide eyed, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Sergio takes in Fernando’s tone with surprise, “What do you think it means?”

“Did you not like me blond?”

“I loved you blond.”

Fernando frowns at his dark hair in the mirror. 

“I also love you with this colour,” Sergio says fixing a stray hair on Fernando. 

Sergio watches with a grin, his other half looking more content as he stares at his reflection. Before Sergio walks out of the bathroom, he makes sure to give Fernando a light smack on the ass and a lingering kiss under his ear. 

“And I’m going to love you when it’s grey.”


	11. Coffee

Fernando always brews a batch of coffee in time to hand Sergio a ready to drink mug at the door when he visits him in England. During the months filled with snowfall, Fernando makes sure the coffee is a little warmer. 

He makes a mistake one day, “I got decaf by accident, we can go out and—”

“As long as it’s warm, I don’t care,” Sergio says already tipping the mug. 

And Fernando indulges in the new found information, rarely buying caffeinated brews, adoring a sleepier Sergio. Relishing in the softer whispers of his voice as they talk away. Revelling in the warm dozy body crawling into his lap to cuddle much earlier in the evening. Savouring Sergio’s body weight settling them into the cushions. 

Sergio catches on one day, “Are you ever gonna give me regular coffee?”

“Probably not,” Fernando would smile, combing his fingers through Sergio’s hair, Sergio nestling further into his chest.


	12. Cooking Together

Sergio has already spent most of the morning with Fernando, showing up early at his doorstep wanting to catch messy tousled hair and a raspy sleepy voice. And Fernando doesn’t mind either, loving the big bright eyes and stupid cute smile, revelling in the energy Sergio brings so effortlessly into his home. Bringing breakfast helps him through the door too, but it has a lot less to do with it than Fernando is willing to admit.

But it’s rounding on lunch now, and their stomaches are starting to growl. They can only grin at each other before Sergio gets up from his spot on the couch and starts towards the door.

“I better get going.”

The happy grin drops and immediately Fernando can feel a rush of pressure fill his chest.

“Do you need to be somewhere?” He almost has to bite his tongue to stop from grimacing, more than a little embarrassed by how fast the question left his mouth.

“No, but aren’t you tired of me?” Sergio’s not sure if he sees Fernando shake his head or not, so he decides to keep talking. “I’ve been here for hours and—”

“So? I like your company,” Fernando knows he’s blushing, he can feel it tickling his ears. “Stay and make lunch with me?”

Sergio looks hesitant, like he really does have somewhere else to be, someone else to see, and Fernando feels a twist in the pit of his stomach, his voice struggling to come out, “Unless _you’re_ tired of being—?”

“No, _no_ , it’s not,” Sergio’s hand drops from the nape of his neck but the other one is quickly on it again. “It’s not that I’m tired of being here, I just don’t know how much help I’ll be with making lunch.”

Fernando finally feels the comfort from the early morning hours return, a gentle laugh escaping him.

“I’m serious Fernando, if you’re not tired of me now, you will be after we’re done with lunch.”

“Yeah, I’m not that great at cooking either if I’m really being honest,” Fernando watches Sergio smile at that. “C’mon, I’m sure we can figure something out between the two of us.”


	13. Washing Dishes

He gets caught up, tempted by the suds dripping from Fernando’s hands, endeared by the ones that have made it up past his wrist. It’s not long before his eyes are trailing up Fernando’s arm, following the lines of ink and wandering different patches of shading, watching the muscle there move beneath it all. 

Fernando recognizes the look in Sergio’s eyes, knows he’s still watching him as he rings out the sponge. He debates putting on a show, tries not to laugh at all the ridiculous ideas that rush his mind, that he knows will crack Sergio up and leave them giggling for hours, and dinner still waiting to be cleaned. 

Instead, he steadies his movements, careful not to knock the dishes or the sink, wants to keep the dreamy glimmer in Sergio’s eyes there. He starts humming, a breezy song, melody pretty and even softer as a hum. One Sergio found for him, excitedly, because it was flamenco, but it wasn’t loud and bellowing. Sergio would tease him for the irony, the one that could listen to loud rock couldn’t bear flamenco for very long. But he liked this song, and so he hums, and hums until Sergio joins in. That’s when he knows Sergio is long gone. 

Only when he’s done washing the dishes does he let them clatter. A plate is still spinning on the counter as he shuffles behind Sergio, hand on his hip and voice whispering down his neck, “I’m going to shower, come join me.”

Sergio drops the cloth he’s supposed to be drying plates and flatware with, already following Fernando. 

“Better dry those dishes first.”


	14. Homework

Sergio leaves, comes back, and is still met with a studying Fernando. As he puts his keycard down, he thinks he can almost swear Fernando hasn’t moved since the last time he saw him. 

“You should take a break? Go down, see the team,” Sergio watches Fernando wave off the idea. “Want some help?”

Fernando finally breaks the stare down with his work book, quite an aggressively confused look on his face, “You don’t know English? Do you?”

“No,” Sergio rolls his eyes, but a small laugh is quickly escaping his mouth, “But I can read the Spanish and you can translate it to English for me, sound good?”

Fernando nods, moving his books and notes with him as he shifts to make room on the bed for Sergio. 

Sergio looks over a page, carefully, pensively, before looking back up at Fernando, “You look nervous.”

“That’s something you want me to translate? I don’t remember that being anywhere.”

“It’s not,” Sergio’s voice softens. “It’s just my observation.”

“I’m not.”

“Yes you are,” Sergio tilts his head trying to read Fernando’s expression. “Why are you nervous?”

Sergio waits patiently before hearing an answer. He doesn’t move or prompt Fernando again, doesn’t make any sound. He just kind of looks at him, not directly, he doesn’t want to stare, just loosely traces the outline of his face, checks the top of his shoulders, watching for a sign that Fernando is more relaxed. 

It takes Fernando a moment, and he’s still rubbing at his knees when he speaks up, “I just don’t want to sound stupid in front of you.”

“I just want to help, you don’t need to impress me.”


	15. Family Visits

“Why are you cleaning?” Sergio yawns at the bottom of the stairs, watching Fernando in the kitchen. “We just cleaned everything from top to bottom yesterday.”

Fernando doesn’t even look up, actually turns his back on Sergio to start wiping down the cabinets. 

“My mother is coming over.”

Sergio lets out a loud sigh, “Give me another sponge.”

“Under the sink.”

But when Fernando immediately hears scrubbing, he turns around, frowning at the plate he left out being ignored on the counter. 

“Hey, have breakfast first,” Fernando drops a quick kiss on Sergio’s temple before taking the sponge out of his hand. “You can help after, on a full stomach.”

***

When they make it out of the kitchen and begin to think about where to start in the living room, Sergio turns to Fernando, “It’d be easier if we just bought a new house.”

“I’ve considered it.”

They both sigh.


	16. Trying Something New

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m gonna be honest, I can’t say if I’m remembering correctly when Sergio cut his hair. And I’m not sure why I like setting these two in hotel rooms during NT breaks, but here we are.

“You really cut your hair,” Fernando says with wide eyes and high brows, and a soft disbelief.

“It feels kinda weird,” Sergio tugs at the chopped ends tickling the nape of his neck, nervous under Fernando’s gaze. “Not sure if I like it, but—”

“I like it,” Fernando steps into Sergio’s personal space, a curious hand coming up to the shell of his ear and a thumb tracing the hairline down his temple absentmindedly. “It looks good.”

 

 

 

Sergio is situating his side of the room, unpacking some of his things, manoeuvring about, back and forth, to and fro, but he can’t help but notice Fernando watching every move he makes, “Didn’t your mother ever tell you it’s rude to stare?”

Fernando blushes, not realizing how fixated he was, but he can’t bring himself to apologize either, “She also said not to take nice things for granted.”

Sergio finishes unpacking with a rosy face as well.

 

 

 

Sergio barely manages to wrap a towel around his waist out of the shower before Fernando is behind him, eyeing his hair again. And before he can ask any questions, Fernando’s hands are already combing through the short tufts. “You’re going to get it tangled.”

Fernando furrows, but his tone is passive and his eyes are bright with endearment, “It can’t tangle at this length.”

“I think it can,” Sergio smiles, watching through the mirror, thoroughly amused by Fernando’s ongoing reactions to his haircut.

A grin grows quickly across Fernando’s face as his hands stay stubbornly in Sergio’s hair even as the defender tries to brush through it.

 

 

 

There are two beds, but Fernando unceremoniously makes room for himself on Sergio’s much earlier on than usual in the evening. 

And when Sergio’s head falls into his lap, and they can’t find a channel in a language they both understand, and their exchange turns to mindless small talk, Fernando can’t seem to stay in the moment any longer and soon enough, his hands— once again—find their new home in Sergio’s hair.

A boyish grin, voice full of excitement and eyes full of delight, tug at the very ends of the trimmed strands, “It’s _so_ _short_.” 

But a few more tugs and Fernando’s hands get more insistent, a little more particular, one of them dropping around Sergio’s jaw, and a thumb dragging across his bottom lip. The child like innocence no longer resides on his face, his eyes darker, and his voice lower, “Still long enough to pull on though.”


	17. Kisses

There were a lot of kisses.

Shy kisses, where Sergio can’t look Fernando directly in the eyes anymore and can’t help blush furiously either, and his hands find safety in tucking his hair behind his ears. Where Fernando likes to wait until Sergio has run out of ways to fidget and for his ears to take on a soft shade of pink before kissing him again.

“You’re really cute, you know that?” Fernando will ask, but it’s more of a reminder than a question.

 

Stolen kisses, where there’s usually luggage nearby, if not in their hands and the faint sound of more suitcases being wheeled can be heard in the distant. Where Sergio pulls Fernando in close and there’s an instant heat around them, a very particular longing exchanging between the two of them. 

“Calm down, no ones going to see us,” Sergio likes to say.

 

Busy kisses, where the kitchen is a mess and the kids are _all_ screaming and Fernando knows somewhere on the floor there’s spilled milk and somewhere else orange juice, he just hasn’t stepped in it yet to know _exactly_ where. 

“Good morning,” Sergio will say against his cheek, and Fernando will smile and ignore the irony as the keychain on Nora’s backpack that Sergio’s holding, digs into his leg.

 

Sleepy kisses, where they’re warm and bundled under the sheets and a fluffy comforter. Sometimes their legs are tangled. Other times only their feet touch, backs to each other, a little space between them, but one of them will turn around and wrap himself around the other.

“Love you,” into the other’s hair.

 

Lazy kisses, on the couch with only the blue tv hues illuminating their faces. Where Sergio can’t understand the English channels Fernando’s flipping through, but it doesn’t really matter anyways because he’s too busy with the extension of Fernando’s arm. When he kisses and nibbles his way up to Fernando’s shoulder, he starts over again, pecking at Fernando’s hand and the inside of his palm, the pulse on his wrist.

Fernando sighs every now and then, the softest of sounds, just enough to let Sergio know he’s not _really_ paying attention to the television, just barely, eventually taking Sergio’s hand as well and planting a kiss to the back of it.

 

Quick kisses, where Sergio has his keys and Fernando has his keys and the door is in their peripheral vision. Where they know there’s fans awaiting, chanting passionately, jumping excitedly.

“I’ll see you later,” occasionally Sergio can manage to fit in a light smack to Fernando’s ass, but often times he’d rather exchange the extra moment for another ~~not so~~  quick kiss, “Wait! Fuck, just one more, okay! Okay! Good luck!”


	18. Hugs

And there were a lot of hugs. 

Shy hugs, where Sergio buries his face into Fernando’s chest and his hands play with the buttons of Fernando’s shirt. Where the situation is just the slightest bit too much, just a hint overwhelming, but Sergio would never admit it so Fernando let’s his shirt get a little wrinkled and brings his arms snuggly around the defenders back, no questions asked. 

“It’s okay, I got you,” Fernando says into the crown of Sergio’s head. 

 

Stolen hugs, where their jerseys don’t match and people are closely watching. Where there’s whistles and jeers, and pounding stands, so their arms only come halfway around each other’s shoulders, but their fingers grapple knowingly, a purposeful ardent in their lingering. 

“Good luck, amor,” Sergio will say into Fernando’s ear. 

 

Busy hugs, where there’s only one sink in the hotel room so they have to take turns brushing their teeth, but Fernando gets impatient so he waits his turn behind Sergio, hands splaying over his hips before his arms wrap around the Sevillan, chin resting on his shoulder. 

“You look good with something in your mouth,” he’ll say, just to watch Sergio squirm in struggle with the two minute task.

 

Sleepy hugs, where Fernando is barely awake by the end of a late night movie and refuses to move more than one or two grabby gestures suggesting he wants help. So Sergio carries him too bed, Fernando’s arms slung around Sergio’s shoulders, legs draped around his hips, heads in each other’s necks. 

“You’re strong,” Fernando will murmur, suspiciously lewd for someone who was almost snoring minutes ago. 

 

Lazy hugs, where Sergio hears Fernando drop his keys on the side table and his bag by the door. Where he hears a few tired steps shuffle across the floor before reveling in the feeling of strong arms falling across his chest from behind the couch. 

“How was your day,” they’ll both ask at the same time. 

 

Quick hugs, where they’re catching up on house chores. Where Fernando tosses the laundry basket onto the couch and abandons his search for clothes for a moment to go and find Sergio wiping down counter tops. 

“Come here, I want a hug,” Fernando will say, arms already outstretched.


	19. Forgetting Something

There’s a part of Fernando that wants to say it’s all too much —the table for two, the white linens, the candles and string lights, Fernando swears he can hear a few string instruments, he just hasn’t found them yet— but then he looks at Sergio, eyes big and bright with anticipation and thinks he’s just going to let himself enjoy this.

Fernando shakes his head in disbelief as he notices more and more details, “The roses are...”

“Red _and_ white, rojiblanco,” Sergio fills in eagerly for Fernando.

Fernando can’t help stop the grin on his face, “You don’t play for that team.”

“No, but you do,” Sergio mirrors Fernando’s expression.

The exchange brings them back to England for a moment and Fernando takes up Sergio’s personal space. They joke about creaky floorboards and the old couch and rainy weather, not a word or laugh passing between them without their fingers laced together.

Fernando’s lovesick grin turns sheepish after awhile though, the instinct for self preservation often dormant in Sergio’s presence, “I thought you forgot.”

“Your birthday? Never.”

Fernando has to smile for that, but still, “No, about England.”

“No, didn’t forget about that either.” Sergio makes sure to pull Fernando in closer, and squeeze his hands tighter, a big smile plastered on his face, “And for the record, I’d do England all over again if it means we end up here, so stop feeling guilty.”


	20. A Heated Argument

“Get back here!”

“No! Leave me alone!” Fernando’s eldest screams at him. “I hate you!”

 Sergio hears a door slam before heavy footsteps come down the stairs. He rises from his spot on the couch, the house in complete silence, ready to take his turn to reason with their daughter. When he turns around though, he’s surprised by the state that Fernando meets him with.

“She’s never said that to me before,” Fernando whispers, mouth agape.

“It’s okay,” Sergio offers, but he’s struck by how thick Fernando’s voice sounds.

“She’s _never_ said that to me before,” Sergio hears Fernando repeat, voice cracking.

That’s when he notices there’s tears in Fernando’s eyes threatening to spill. He quickly closes the distance between the both of them, “Hey, it’s okay, you know she didn’t mean it.”

Fernando takes in a shaky breath, “What if she did?”

Sergio almost misses the question, Fernando’s voice so low, coming out incredibly strained and fragile. He pulls Fernando’s hands down from furiously wiping at his eyes, gently catching a few stray tears with his thumbs for him instead, “I promise she didn’t, and you know that.”


	21. Road Trips

When Fernando brought up the idea of going on a road trip, he’d thought he’d be doing all the showing around, apart of him still wanting to prove to Sergio how beautiful England is, why he still holds it so close to his heart. 

And they have more than a few days to themselves, to take as long as they please, to stop when they want to stop, to dwell when they want to dwell, but as the second day comes to an end, it only takes a cheap coffee as they fill up on gas for Fernando to end up in the passenger seat. 

“Can I drive?” Sergio asks, but it’s hardly a question as he gets in Fernando’s way, his hand already on the car door. “I want to show you something.”

Fernando stares at him bewildered, his words coming out both like a question and a statement, “You know where you’re going...around here?”

“Get in and you’ll find out.”

***

Fernando starts to put it together after they almost pass near where he had lived in Liverpool years ago, but turn in the wrong direction just when they’re closest. He’s almost certain of it when Sergio turns down an unpaved road, gravel crumbling beneath the tires, and trees narrowing in, their branches tapping on the windshield. And it’s all he can think of when Sergio parks the car and he realizes just how low the sun is in the sky, how brilliant the horizon glows with vivid hues of red and orange. 

“You’re awfully quiet,” Sergio wants to sound inconspicuous, but he knows Fernando knows already where they are. “Come on.”

“This is your favourite sunset,” Fernando marvels. “How’d you find this place?”

Sergio laughs softly, “Not even gonna pretend to act surprised?”

“No, I want to take it all in, I want to remember everything.”

“We can come back again.”

Fernando smiles at that as Sergio takes his hand in lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In connection to chapter 24 from my other drabbles, Was It You or Was It I.


	22. Picnics

When Sergio brings the idea to him with his grandmothers basket and a red and white checkered blanket, Fernando can’t help but chuckle a bit, and if it were anyone else, he’d say it was just coincidence, but it’s Sergio, so he knows the red and white is on purpose. 

“Where though?”

Sergio points outside, eyes big and smile beaming, “In the yard!”

It’s just their back yard, but Fernando hasn’t felt this kind of happy in a long time. 

All the dogs are out and playing around, fetching whatever Leo can find to throw. Fernando can only laugh when he catches Leo rolling around with one of the German Shepherds, the rest of the dogs soon joining in and bustling around him as well. 

Junior and Marco are playing football. He can hear Sergio with a soft voice, “Gooollll, Marco gol!” 

Nora, originally playing football too, is chatting with him, joking around about her brothers between some cheese and crackers, asking for his advice on play ground gossip. She tells him about all the cool things she’s learning in school, mentions of what she wants to be when she grows up.

Elsa is stalking between all them, occasionally coming up behind Fernando on the blanket and wrapping her little arms around his neck. At one point he doesn’t want to let her go, and twirls her around for a proper hug, engulfing her against his chest and kissing her on the nose. 

Fernando wants to stay in the moment forever. He looks around himself and he catches Sergio doing the same thing, a warm smile spread across his face, appreciating their surroundings. He gazes at Sergio for a minute before watching his head turn and his smile get even bigger, their eyes locking, and he wishes a little harder for everything to remain the same.


	23. Double Dates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Less of a double date and more of getting ready for it?
> 
> A very loose, barely there interpretation of this prompt.

“Can’t we just stay home?” Fernando begs. “We’re gonna have to take separate cars and...it’s just going to be a whole ordeal.”

“You’re already dressed,” Sergio reminds him. “Besides, we’ll manage, we always do.”

Fernando is already stuffing his pockets with his keys and phone as he tries again, “So undress me?”

“Tempting,” and Sergio can’t help but look Fernando up and down out of the corner of his eye, watching as he fixes his cuff, very specific ideas roaming his head. 

“You’re thinking about it,” Fernando interrupts him, a smug curl to his lip and an arch in his brow. 

“Of course I’m thinking about it,” Sergio turns away then, his face flushing lightly. Hoping Fernando doesn’t catch it, he opts for straightening his collar, trying to redirect his attention, trying to collect his demeanour — trying— to regain his voice and sound stern, “But we’re going.”

Fernando’s expression doesn’t change, if anything, it’s more prominent, “You can’t hide, I can still see that pretty face through the mirror.”

Sergio mumbles almost incoherently, something resembling a complaint, something between a flustered leave-me-alone and a breathy shut-up. But his eyes are soft and his gaze becomes dreamy as his attention shifts back again from his shirt to the pair of warm brown eyes coming up behind him. 

“Here,” Fernando helps Sergio with his collar, and a moment passes between them, their eyes locking in the mirror. Fernando let’s out a deep sigh before preening at Sergio’s jacket one last time and planting a lingering kiss to the apple of his cheek, “I’ll meet you at the restaurant?”

“Yeah, I’ll be a few minutes behind you,” Sergio makes sure to pull Fernando in before he leaves and press a well intended kiss to his lips for good measure.


End file.
